Cap



April 26, 1966 s. LIPKIN 3,247,523

CAP I Filed Aug. 28, 1964 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 I N VEN TOR. 5'04 L/PK/A/ BY 5 BMW *WW- April 26, 1966 s [PK|N 3,247,523

CAP

Filed Aug. 28, 1964 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTQR 50,4 L/IQZ A/ United States Patent 3,247,523 CAP Sol Lipkin, 2623 Huntington Ave., St. Louis Park, Minn. Filed Aug. 28, 1964, Ser. No. 392,831 6 Claims. (Cl. 2-197) This invention relates to improvements in caps and particularly in improvements in winter caps of tailored construction which are comfortable, attractive in appearance, which fit the wearer snugly, keep their shape, and provide ear protection. The invention particularly relates to taillored cap structures which can be manufactured in a fewer number of sizes than caps of standard construction.

When the retail purchaser buys a cap, this is the consummation of a long series of prior events. These events begin with the design of the cap. The construction of one cap is of no great difiiculty, but when a manufacturer designs a cap which is to be sold in retail stores, if the cap is to be sold in reasonable quantities, it must be stocked by the retail store in a range of sizes suflicient to fit a large number of head sizes, and in a range of styles and colors. Caps are sold in sizes which are divided into three major classifications, namely, mens, boys and junior boys sizes. Mens sizes range from 6% to 7% and require a total of nine sizes. Boys sizes range from 6% through 7 /8 and require a total of seven sizes. Junior boys sizes ranges from 6 through 6% and require a total of seven sizes. Therefore, a stock of caps, of only one color and style, and one cap per size, would involve a total of 23 caps. When several colors are stocked, as well as duplicates in the more popular sizes, the merchants total number of caps in stock can easily exceed 100 caps, for one style only. If several styles and several colors in each style are stocked, then the number of caps increases accordingly.

Therefore, the stocking of merchandise at retail in order adequately to serve the retail customer, involves a considerable investment for every retail store at which cap merchandise is sold. The investment cannot be avoided if the merchant desires to have the merchandise available in an adequate range of sizes, colors and styles.

A primary object of this invention is to provide a tailored winter cap construction which greatly diminishes the number of sizes required to fit all of the head sizes in each major size classification of mens, boys and junior boys sizes.

It is another object of the invention to provide a tail ored winter cap construction which can be manufactured at reduced unit costs, and a tailored winter cap construction that is attractive in appearance, and will keep its appearance during use.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a cap of the aforesaid type which provides good protection to the ears of the wearer, and which reduces the variety of raw materials and trimmings which must be purchased by the manufacturer in order to carry through the project.

Other and further objects are those inherent in the invention herein illustrated, described and claimed and will be apparent as the description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, this invention then comprises the features hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the .claims, the following description setting forth in detail certain illustrative embodiments of the invention, these being indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principles of the invention may be employed.

The invention is illustrated with reference to the drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of a tailored winter cap embodying the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a rear elevational view taken in the di- Patented Apr. 26, 1966 rection of arrows'22 of FIGURE 1, showing the ear flaps in the down position;

FIGURE 3 is a'side elevational view taken in the directionof arrows 3-3 of FIGURE 1, showing the cap of FIGURE 1 with the ear flaps in the down position;

FIGURE 4 is a side elevational view, corresponding to FIGURE 3, except that the ear flap portion of the cap has been folded up inside the cap;

FIGURE 5 is a side elevational view, corresponding to FIGURE 4, except that it shows another form of tailored winter cap. In FIGURE 5, the ear flap is turned up inside the cap, corresponding to FIGURE 4; 4

FIGURE 6 is a transverse sectional view of the upper portion of the cap, taken in the direction of arrows 66 of FIGURE 5, during constructiomand prior to the time that the ear flap portion is sewed in; Y r

FIGURES 7, 8, 9 and 10 are a series of related view illustrating the steps in the construction. FIGURES 7, 8 and 9 each shows half of a transverse sectional view. FIGURE 10 is a very much enlarged fragmentary portion of the transverse sectional view of FIGURE 9. FIG- URE 7 shows theupper portion of the cap after it has been sewed together, but before applying the cushion band at the head band portion of the cap. FIGURE 8 shows the cushion band applied to the structure of FIG- URE 7. FIGURES 9 and 10 illustrate the cap construction after the ear flap has been sewed into the cap structure;

FIGURE 11 is a fragmentary portion of the cap structure, as for example, the portion shown between the lines 1111 of FIGURE 4 or FIGURE 5, illustrating the resiliency of the cap for increasing its head band dimension.

-It should be pointed out that the particular fabric used in the styling of the cap may be varied. In FIG- URES 1 through 4, the ordinary woven cloth is used, smooth on the outside with the usual liner and inner liner, with the inner liner customarily quilted to the liner, not illustrated. In FIGURE 5, the styling uses multiple plies of cloth with a cushion inner liner between them, with quilting through the plies and cushion. The structure of the cap thus starts with appropriately cut pieces of the fabric that is to be used. It will be understood that if the fabric is smooth on the outside a liner and inner liner, with or without an insulating cushion, may be used, and if the fabric is quilted, it will be as illustrated in FIGURES 5 through 9. The selection of the fabric, quilted or unquilted, onthe outside, is optional.

In FIGURES 1-4, the cap has a top 10 which is defined by the front line 10F, the side lines 108-108, the rear line 10R and a center seam 100. These are defined by the junction of the top of the sides and rear wall of the cap 14, which has the side wall portions 14S14S and rear wall portion 14R. The peak is joined to the top-front along the front line 10F, which is, of course, a seam. This same seam extends along 14F-14F where the peak meets the front portions of the sidewalls 148 of the portion 14 of the cap. At the lower edge of the sidewall-rearwall portion 14 there is a seam 14HB, which is the head hand seam of the cap, and below this there is an ear flap generally designated 16. This ear flap has a small binding 16B all around its lower edge, this binding being stitched on as is well known. The ear flap has a very small vertical dimension at the narrow front portion 16F but it reaches down along the curve line 16C which overlies the temple of the wearer so as to provide a maximum vertical dimension at 16E where it covers the ears of the wearer, after which the vertical dimension narrows, along the line 16D, until it reaches the rear portion of the ear flap at.16R. .The ear flap is composed wholly or partly of resilient material so that it will have resiliency for a cerhe tain amount of stretch in the direction of the double arrow SS. Thus, the entire ear flap may be made of somewhat resilient material, or merely a segment in the rear portion may be inserted to provide the desired resiliency in the direction of double arrow -8, for a purpose to be described.

So far, the construction described is what might be considered standard construction in the trade. However, according to the present invention an innovation is introduced, which is now to be described.

The shell 15 of the cap (defined by numerals and is made first, and the visor 12.is then joined to it. At this time, the shell 15 of the cap will be either a single layer of fabric which has been sewed together, ready to have the head liner inserted, or the shell 15 will be of the quilted construction as shown in FIGURE 5, except that the lower edge at the head band seam will at this stage be unfinished.

FIGURES 6-9 illustrate a quilted type shell. It may be said with reference to FIGURES 7, 8 and 9 that the putting of the quilted structure is shown much exaggerated, as is also the seam along the side line 108. In the quilted type construction, the portions 10 and 14 are sewed together along the line ltiS-IGRAQS. The portion 168 of this line, being illustrated in FIGURES 7, 8 and 9. Then, since the cap will not otherwise be finished on the inside, a finishing strip 17 is applied on the inside of the cap, and this is stitched down along the stitching lines 108A and 1083, which are equally spaced on either side of the side line 108. It will be appreciated that the stitching 13 and the stitching along 108A and 1058 will tightly pull down the fabric at each line, but in FIGURES 7, 8 and 9 the fabrics are shown as though they were not pulled down, in order that they may be illustrated. The binding strip 17 produces a finish on the inside of the shell 15. However, the lower edge 18 of the shell is at this time still unfinished.

According to the present invention, there is applied to the lower edge 18 a resilient stretchy cushion band which is generally designated 26. This cushion band is composed of a fabric layer 20F on the outside and a very resilient compressible stretchy plastic foam layer 2GP on the inside as viewed in FIGURE 10. The two layers are adhesively attached together. The fabric layer 20F is preferably, but not necessarily, of knitted fabric, it being suflicient for the purposes of this invention that the fabric layer be stretchable when out on the bias. However, a knitted fabric composed of synthetic fibers and attractively colored, is preferred. This fabric layer is then adhesively attached to a foam layer of plastic, which can, for example, be ,4 to A; of an inch in thickness, or even thicker foam material. This plastic foam material is exceedingly resilient and can be compressed so as to reduce its thickness. After the knitted fabric has been adhesively attached to the plastic foam layer, strips of this dual fabric-plastic component are then cut on what would be the bias with reference to the fabric layer. These fabric-plastic strips are then folded so that the fabric-layer 29F is on the outside and the plastic layer It)! is on the inside and the folded material is stitched to the lower edge 18 of the shell 15, the stitching line being at 19. It will be noted that the foam plastic is on the inside and embraces the lower edge 18 of the shell 15, and the stitching line, in practice, will cause the compression of the plastic, so as to draw all of the layers of fabric down close together.

It is important, in respect to the invention, that, at the time the stitching is applied along stitch line 19, the folded fabric-plastic cushion band be stretched so that it is under tension, but the lower edge 18 of the shell 15 is not under tension. The cushion band 20 is applied all the way around the lower edge 18 of the shell 15. As a result, the cushion band 29 acts as a hoop all the way around the lower edge 18 of the shell 15 and vent stretching along the headband line in front.

causes the shell at this edge to be drawn inwardly so as to decrease the peripheral dimension of the shell 15 at the lower edge 18. This is illustrated by the dimension min in FIGURE 6. However, the cushion band 20 is stretchy and if the cap shell 15 is placed upon a head size which is somewhat larger than the dimension rnin," the cushion band 29 will stretch up to a maximum dirnension illustrated at max in FIGURE 6.

The cushion band should extend at least around the back and sides of the shell 15, so as to give a maximum stretching length. It is less important that it extend along that portion of the headband that is coextensive with the attachment of the visor. This is because the lack of resilience along the back edge of the visor will pre- However, the cushion band is usually included in from because of the cushioning effect.

Continuing with the construction of the cap, the ear flap 16 is manufactured separately, and has a neat binding at its upper edge as well as its lower edge. To fasten the ear flap to the visor and shell of the cap the cushion band 21) is in the first instance folded up to the position shown in FIGURE 9 and then the ear flap 16 is laid inside the shell 15 so that what will be the upper terminal edge of the ear flap lies against the told 21 of the cap fabric, which is the part just above the stitching line 19, as shown in FIGURE 8. The ear flap has an upper binding edge 16U, as a single finishing strip. This is then stitched entirely through the folded cap portion along the stitching line 22. In FIGURE 9, the various layers of the fabric are illustrated as separated, but the stitching along line 22 will actually pull all of the fabric down tight, since the stitch is under tension. It should be remembered also that the dimension in a peripheral direction around the upper binding edge 16U of the ear flap should be equal to the maximum dimension of the cushion band when it is stretched. Accordingly, the ear flap 16 is gathered slightly so as to provide extra fabric in each stitch along the stitch line 22, so that the ear flap fabric will not impose a resistance to the outward stretch ing movement in a peripheral direction which is permitted by the cushion band 2d.

It will be noted that FIGURE 10 is simply an enlargement of the lower edge 18 of the shell 15 as shown in FIGURE 9. In FIGURES 9 and 10 it should be noted that the cushion band 26 springs out, so as to provide a void at 20V. This occurs when there is no hoop tension placed upon the cap by using the cap on a relatively large head.

When the cap is relaxed, the void appears at 20V, and the cushion band 29 contracts. Both the void and the contraction of the cushion band will tend to decrease the peripheral dimension of the cap at the headband line. This will allow the cap to fit a relatively small head.

However, when the cap is placed on a larger size head, the dimension T and the void 29V will be reduced or eliminated. At the same time the cushion band will stretch peripherally around the lower edge of the cap. The lower edge 13 of the shell 15 of the cap will stretch with the cushion band since the cushion band was applied to it with the band already under tension but the lower edge 1%; relaxed and not under tension. In this way, the cap is permitted to expand circumferentially, so as to increase its size to fit a larger head.

When the car fiap portion 16 is turned down, as shown in FIGURES 2 and 3, this will also accommodate the larger and smaller sizes of heads and necks, due to its resiliency.

FIGURE 11 illustrates a portion of the side wall 14 of the cap, as for example, a portion between the lines 11-11 of FIGURES 4 and 5. Due to the resiliency of the cushion band 29, this portion of the side wall, when relaxed, will have a certain dimension, but it can be stretched out to a greater dimension. In a typical construction made according to the present invention,

the headband dimensions may be increased about from the minimum. Thus, when a relaxed ten centimeter portion between the lines 1111 is selected, it may be increased in length to approximately eleven centimeters by applying tension to it. Therefore, by utilizing the present invention in cap construction, a tailored cap may be prepared which will accommodate two and in some instances, three sizes, according to the usual sizes of caps. This accommodation is due not only to the resiliency of the cushion band 20, :but also to its filler effect, due to the changing dimension T when the cap is relaxed as compared to when the cap is Worn on a larger size head.

As many widely apparently different embodiments of this invention may be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the specific embodiments disclosed herein.

What is claimed is:

1. A cap of tailored construction comprising a shell for embracing the upper part of the head including a portion adapted to cover the top of the head and a portion adapted to encircle the head and cover the forehead, sides and rear of the head, said latter portion having an upwardly and inwardly folded edge, said latter portion terminating along a lower edge defined as the headband line, a visor attached to said shell along the forehead portion of the headband line, a flap adapted to extend at least around the back and sides of the head, said flap having a lower edge and an upper edge, said flap being situated within the shell, and a cushion band composed of an inverted U-shaped fold of resilient material attached to said upwardly and inwardly folded edge, said cushion band having resiliency along its length so as to permit it to be stretched, said cushion band being compressible transversely through its thickness so as to permit it to be substantially flattened, said cushion band extending around at least the back and sides of the cap and situated between the shell and said flap, said shell, cushion band, and fiap being stitched together along the headband line with said cushion band being tensioned when stitched.

2. The cap of claim 1 further characterized in that the cushion band completely encircles the lower edge of the shell.

3. The cap of claim 1 further characterized in that the flap has an increased width around the sides and back of the head so that when folded down it will cover the ears and lower back portion of the head.

4. The cap of claim 1 further characterized in that the cushion band is a composite of a layer of stretchy fabric attached to a thicker layer of highly compressible spongy material.

5. The cap of claim 4 further characterized in that the stretchy fabric is cut on the bias.

6. The cap of claim 5 further characterized in that the thicker layer of highly compressible material is composed of foam plastic.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,267,799 5/ 1918 Perlman 2195 1,379,142 5/1921 Wallace 2-172 1,988,248 1/1935 Lewis 2195 2,052,123 8/1936 Adamson 2l95 2,825,328 3/1958 Olsen 2-181 X 2,885,683 5/1959 Lipkin 2-172 3,134,983 6/1964 Lipkin 2-172 FOREIGN PATENTS 667,881 3/ 1952 Great Britain.

JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

G. H. KRIZMANICH, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A CAP OF TAILORED CONSTRUCTION COMPRISING A SHELL FOR EMBRACING THE UPPER PART OF THE HEAD INCLUDING A PORTION ADAPTED TO COVER THE TOP OF THE HEAD AND A PORTION ADAPTED TO ENCIRCLE THE HEAD AND COVER THE FOREHEAD, SIDES AND REAR OF THE HEAD, SAID LATTER PORTION HAVING AN UPWARDLY AND INWARDLY FOLDED EDGE, SAID LATTER PORTION TERMINATING ALONG A LOWER EDGE DEFINED AS THE HEADBAND LINE, A VISOR ATTACHED TO SAID SHELL ALONG THE FOREHEAD PORTION OF THE HEADHAND LINE, A FLAP ADAPTED TO EXTEND AT LEAST AROUND THE BACK AND SIDES OF THE HEAD, SAID FLAP HAVING A LOWER EDGE AND AN UPPER EDGE, SAID FLAP BEING SITUATED WITHIN THE SHELL, AND A CUSHION BAND COMPOSED OF AN INVERTED U-SHAPED FOLD OF RESILIENT MATERIAL ATTACHED TO SAID UPWARDLY AND INWARDLY FOLDED EDGE, SAID CUSHION BAND HAVING RESILIENCY ALONG ITS LENGTH SO AS TO PERMIT IT TO BE STRETCHED, SAID CUSHION BAND BEING COMPRESSIBLE TRANSVERSELY THROUGH ITS THICKNESS SO AS TO PERMIT IT TO BE SUBSTANTIALLY FLATTENED, SAID CUSHION BAND EXTENDING AROUND AT LEAST THE BACK AND SIDES OF THE CAP AND SITUATED BETWEEN THE SHELL AND SAID FLAP, SAID SHELL, CUSHION BAND, AND FLAP BEING STITCHED TOGETHER ALONG THE HEADBAND LINE WITH SAID CUSHION BAND BEING TENSIONED WHEN STITCHED. 